Allergens, germs and asthma

Allergens, germs and asthma

OBJECTIVE To explore asthma pathogenesis using data from upper and lower airways. DATA SOURCE English-language papers on human asthma and nasal polyp subjects from 1990 onwards. STUDY SELECTION High-quality studies in established journals. RESULTS The recognition of its inflammatory nature led to a quantum leap in the understanding and treatment of asthma, with lives saved by inhaled cort...

Allergens and asthma.

In many medical textbooks allergens are still listed as one of the "trigger factors" for asthma, with the implication that irritability of the lungs is an underlying physiologic property of the lungs. Over the last few years it has become clear that asthma is an inflammatory disease. In addition, it has been shown that changes in allergen exposure can lead to changes in bronchial reactivity. Th...

Cockroach allergens and asthma.

Asthma and allergy are the most common diseases associated with cockroach infestation of houses in the United States and other parts of the world. Sensitization and exposure to cockroach allergens is associated with increased asthma morbidity in the United States, especially among lower socioeconomic groups, including African American and Hispanic populations. Exposure to cockroach allergens in...

Allergens, viruses, and asthma exacerbations.

In adults and children with asthma, viral infections (rhinovirus [RV] infection being the most prevalent) will often trigger an increase in symptomatology. The mechanisms responsible for viral-induced exacerbations remain uncertain. Proposed mechanisms include direct infection of the lower respiratory tract, the inflammatory response to viruses, increases in bronchial responsiveness and up-regu...

Allergens that cause asthma. Identification and quantification.